Dignity is valuable but our lives are valuable too

Continuing my trip back through the 1979 album charts.

10/06/79 : Lodger - David Bowie

I'd just assumed I'd met all of his Berlin trilogy - but no, I've only done Low (which I didn't get) and Heroes (which was a definite improvement). So let's complete the set and see how this compares.

Well, it's all surprisingly lively - particularly when compared with Low. I recognised "DJ", "Look Back In Anger" and "Boys Keep Swinging" so I was naturally drawn to those tracks - I'd describe the rest of them as "not immediate" but I can see they could mostly convert me, although "African Night Flight" feels like it would be a challenge to love. Overall, I'd say it was an interesting listen and it feels like multiple visits would improve matters, although they're unlikely to happen.

We're at #4 in the charts this week on his second week of a seventeen week run, with this being as high as it got - which all feels quite low-key.  The rest of the top five this week were ELO (a new entry, about to start a run of five weeks at #1), ABBA, Ian Dury & The Blockheads and Blondie, with the next highest new entry being The Ramones, all the way down at #39.

Wikipedia has plenty on the album (336 milliPeppers) and it tells us it's his thirteenth album and, although it's the final part of the Berlin trilogy, was recorded in Switerzland and New York. There's loads of stuff in there about the recording sessions, a lot of which feels like Brian Eno was just taking the piss and making them do whatever popped into his head (but I'm sure it's fascinating for all the Bowie aficionados). Critically, the reviews were mixed at the time - I get the impression some reviewers felt they had to slag it off because it was a bit more accessible so there was a danger normal people might appreciate it. 

Retrospectively, its reputation has improved - I liked the comment that it's "Bowie's Return of the Jedi rather than his The Godfather Part III" and his use of world music is viewed as particularly influential. It was also remixed in '17 which was well received because many people considered the original mix to be too cluttered. Commercially, it did pretty well without really blowing up anywhere - it made the top twenty in most places, with #5 in The Netherlands and #3 in New Zealand being the highpoints.

discogs.com tells us you will have to spend £5.50 to get a decent copy, but if you want the original gatefold version, you're going to have to shell out a lot more with £159.52 being the most expensive copy. I'm glad I (finally) caught up with this - I can't see it ever becoming my favourite Bowie album, but it's always good to fill in one of those musical blind spots which you feel you should caught up with years ago.

03/06/79 - Not an enjoyable experience
17/06/79 - Not for me

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